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3 sqn raf regt
Posted: Sat 06 Sep, 2003 10:23 am
by stever
3 sqn is the permanent field sqn in ni
they dont man vcp's at raf aldergrove [rafp] tasking for this
they have a taor covering raf aldergrove and surrounding areas
including antrim...
they carry out normal patrolling duties outwith aldergrove as would a army company
they also have a tasking as a province wide reserve as do most inf battalions...
this includes all of the province
3 sqn raf regiment crest below
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 5:25 am
by blackheartnz
the last time i heard 3 sqn was helping the army out in differant areas of Ireland.
The rocks use to operate a vcp at Aldergrove airport till it was passed on to the ruc.
The vcp started as a telephone box and grew to what it is now
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 2:52 pm
by RobT
i've got a realy f@#k stupid question ere which has been doing my nut in..why are they called rockapes?!?!?!...
:fadein:
ta
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 3:19 pm
by harry hackedoff
Yes, you have
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 6:34 pm
by ExCrabMate
Stever can give a better answer but its something to do with when they were on Gibraltar in WWII, I think.
RAF Police is the armed faction of NCP.
Posted: Sun 07 Sep, 2003 6:45 pm
by rabby
Forget the origin of the term, look, here's what they look like.
Ugly buggers aren't they! Hehe
Posted: Mon 08 Sep, 2003 9:16 am
by Budgie
Rabby, you caught me on a good sunny day with that snap.
You should see me when it rains. I look really miserable!
The RAF Regt have a permanent Sqn in N.I. now but in my time it was a Squadron Rotation consisting of a 3 month tour with 6 months away then back again for another 3 months etc.
The main duties were airfield defence for Aldergrove and Bishopscourt which were the 2 airfields out there, but they also did tours of Londonderry in the 70's. There were static points including 'Delta' which was the main VCP coming into Belfast Airport, Mobile, Foot and Heli Patrols. Occasionally a section would be deployed as a support unit to various Army units in or around Belfast.
As for the name 'Rockape' there are various theories. I was told it was that when the Corps was formed in 1942 they opened the military nicks on Gib and the occupants became the RAF Regiment. (None of this glorious beginnings malarkey for us chappies!
)
The most common held belief is that somewhere in Aden in the 50's 2 Rock Officers went out for a bit of sport shooting the local baboons known as 'rockapes'. It is not recorded as to what the baboons had done to upset the aforementioned upstanding gentlemen. Well officers being officers one ended up shooting the other one by accident and at the enquiry pleaded 'I thought it was a rockape sir' and so the name stuck.
It is refreshing to know that the behaviour and aptitude of the officer breed has not altered over the years!
P.S. Just a thought. The use of smileys can save a lot of misunderstanding.